


Sanctuary

by FlameEmber



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types
Genre: Blood, Heart Conditions, M/M, Motorcycle Accidents, hospital au, injuries, spoilers for chapter 2!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-27
Updated: 2015-05-04
Packaged: 2018-03-25 23:33:02
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 7
Words: 13,783
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3828979
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FlameEmber/pseuds/FlameEmber
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hospital AU. Taken from the prompt:<br/>Character A is admitted into a hospital after an accident or medical problem arises, whilst in the ward they meet the sickly Character B, who - as time progresses- only seems to become sicker.<br/>Rated Explicit for smut in chapter 5</p><p>Mondo can't stand it anymore; can't stand the hospital's bright lights, the irritatingly friendly staff, the smell of disinfectant, and especially not the red-eyed menace sharing his room.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Judgement and Rivals

Mondo frowns, brows drawing together over lavender eyes and strong arms folding decisively over an equally strong chest, as he begrudgingly allows himself to be wheeled through the hospital doors. He wrinkles his nose as the stench of cleaning products, medications, and general illness hits him; shifting irritably in the chair, he cannot help but sneeze. 

His eyes sting slightly as the intense sadness hits him once more; it takes all of his energy to refrain from crying at the thought of Daiya. He simply can't cry; it isn't manly. It isn't strong. He needs to keep everyone thinking he is strong no matter the cost, lest he fall to pieces under the pressure. Still, the weight of what has occured is pressing down on him almost unbearably, causing him to clench his hands into fists involuntarily.

_The wind rushes past Mondo's face as he lets out a crow of success, glancing back to see his brother Daiya falling behind. "Looks like I win, bro!" Although the distance between the two is just a few feet, to Mondo it seems like miles. After all, he's never beaten Daiya in a street race before. This is unprecedented._

_An ungodly honk from some vehicle blares in his ears, but he ignores it just long enough to stick his tongue out teasingly at his brother before turning around to settle in his plush bike seat. And when he does, he's just in time to spot the headlights of an oncoming truck looming imminently over him. There's no time to swerve or get out of the way; gulping thickly, the biker squeezes his eyes shut as he prepares for impact. But what he feels a few moments later isn't the crushing pain and inky blackness of death; it's a harsh shove and a blow to the side that is just enough to send his Kawasaki careening off the road and down into a ravine. He lets out a shout, crying out as he falls for someone to save his brother, for his brother to save himself as he just did Mondo- but the blood is already spilled, staining both the road and the older Oowada's hair a sticky pinkish-red._

_He simply lies there for a moment, trying to make sense of what is going on and somehow blocking out the intense pain he feels all over his body. Letting out a choked sob, he is inexplicably able to crawl up the slope and towards the road, towards where he knows his brother's mangled and torn-up body undoubtedly lays._

_Just in time to hear the taller, larger, **better** male deliver his final words as he lies limply in the arms of his younger brother, his younger brother whose recklessness had gotten him killed._

_Mondo screams then, pain shooting through his body - through his leg, through his head, through his side - as he cradles Daiya's body to him, not caring that the blood will stain his already ripped and torn gang jacket. His heart has already been damaged far more than the coat could ever be._

Clenching his hands into fists unconsciously as he grimaces, Mondo is only startled back into reality by a sharp pain shooting up his side.

"Fuck!"

The harried nurse glances at him concernedly, but he only waves the other man's attention away. "Can we just get wherever the fuck we're goin'? Jesus..."

Letting out an exasperated sigh, the medical professional proceeds to wheel the injured biker's wheelchair down a long hallway, the wheels squeaking irritatingly on the polished floors that incessantly smell like lemon-scented cleaner. Mondo wrinkles his nose yet again at the smell, tapping impatiently on the armrest as a signal to _hurry the fuck up, dammit!_ Although he sighs in relief as they enter the elevator, he soon lets out another annoyed growl at the sickening, horrid music which is playing. 

The nurse, although a little fearful of the patient, reprimands him briefly, before finally - _finally_ \- taking him off at the fifth floor. Mondo lets out his own irritated sigh, cradling his throbbing head in his hands and trying not to disturb the bandage which is colored with his blood.

The nurse stops to sign him in at some registration desk - and Mondo doesn't know what they're doing, if he's honest with himself he doesn't really _care_ \- and finally he's moving again. He wishes deeply to walk again, even if only to avoid these ghastly waiting times. He is not what could be referred to as a patient person, and all he wants is to lie down in a comfortable bed, even if it's a hospital bed. 

He doesn't even realize the nurse is speaking for a moment, and whips his head towards the man, a snarled _what_ on the tip of his tongue before he groans in pain. "What the fuck do you want?!" he growls out, hands digging into the armrests of his wheelchair. 

The medic sighs in aggravation, reiterating that Mondo is to be moved to a room now, and that he will be out of the wheelchair and into a bed soon.

_Oh._ The biker feels slightly bad for snapping at his attendant, wishing he could hide behind his immense pompadour which no longer exists. Instead, he settles for tugging down the short-shorn blond bangs, irritated when they spring back up as soon as he releases them.

Finally, after what seems like forever, he's rolled through a doorway and into a room - which still smells like that infernal disinfectant, and Mondo is sure he will smell the same way for months - where a clean, new bed is waiting for him. Although he requires some help getting into it, he soon relaxes and sighs once the nurse has left, leaning his bandaged head back against the pillows and turning to look at the clock.

"Fuck... 'M bored."

A slight cough attracts his attention; glancing towards the corner of the room, Mondo is shocked to see a pair of bright red ruby eyes staring back at him. There is another boy in the evidently shared room; a boy around his age with short black hair, a thin hospital gown identical to the one Mondo himself is wearing, and the brightest pair of eyes the biker has ever seen. 

A throat is cleared; the boy speaks.

"I apologize; I was not aware this room was to be shared."

Throat going dry, Mondo shakes his head, gulping before he speaks. "Me neither. Uh, I guess we're gonna be stuck like this, so..." He prompts for a name, noticing with some distaste that the boy appears to be studying; must be some stuck-up _prefect_ or something. He wrinkles his nose slightly, wondering how on earth he's going to survive being stuck next to this - this _kid_ \- for months without strangling him.

"Kiyotaka Ishimaru."

"Hmm?" Mondo pauses, looks up; his roommate's voice had caught him off guard.

"You looked as if you wished to know my name. It is Kiyotaka Ishimaru."

Oh. Mondo nods, glancing over the other male once more. The name fit. "'M Mondo. Mondo Oowada." Responding gruffly, he grimaces slightly before sitting up slightly in the bed, head protesting the movement. He winces.

"Why are ya 'ere, then? Ya look perfectly healthy."

Ishimaru shakes his head solemnly, gaze focusing on the pages of his book once more.

"I... I have a heart condition, if you must know."

"O-Oh." He contorts his face in what he hopes is a sympathetic fashion before letting out a deep sigh.

"What is your ailment, then? Why are you here, Oowada-kun?"

Mondo sighs once more. Well, the boy has a valid question. "I-I was in a motorcycle accident." Nothing wrong with the truth, is there?

"What happened?"

_Goddammit._ Of course the kid has to keep asking annoying questions. He sighs. Maybe he'll regret it later, but perhaps it will be better to just tell Ishimaru everything, and perhaps spare further questions later.

"Got in a race against 'm brother. Got too careless and, well, nearly got killed for it... A big fuckin' truck, headed right for me. 'E pushed me out of the way and down a hill, saved 'm life, but..." He pauses as he feels himself begin to get misty eyed, tears stinging at the corner of his eyes; he **will not** cry. He can't cry, not at all, not here in front of a boy he's barely just met. 

"But...?"

Mondo growls softly, as if telling Ishimaru to _back off._ "'M gettin' to it. Anyway, he pushes me down this hill, and gets himself fuckin' hit by the goddamn truck..." He shakes his head. "Fuckin' stupid, 'e shoulda let me die instead... But 'e had to be the good brother, an' get himself killed for me. I dunno why 'm tellin' ya all this, so count yerself lucky I ain't gonna bust yer head in."

To be honest, he's not in any mood to 'bust in' Ishimaru's head, and he probably wouldn't have the energy to even if he really wanted to. Wisely, the crimson-eyed male remains silent. Mondo isn't sure if he's fearful or just being a good listener. He thinks it to be the latter, but wishes it were the former.

"Anyway, when I fell down the hill, I hit 'm head on the ground and fucked it up, I couldn't remember some shit for a while... Broke 'm leg too, 's pretty damn bad... hurts like a bitch too... I landed on the bike, handlebars went right into 'm gut 'n busted some shit up. Didn' pierce the skin, but I got internal bleedin' from it, so that's pretty bad. Broke some ribs, too. I'm a damn mess, ain't I?"

He attempts to laugh, but the sound only comes out as a hacking cough, and when he pulls his hand away from his mouth it is flecked with small spots of blood.

"Shit... Gotta take it easy more... But what about you, huh? Somethin' 'bout a heart condition? Ya _are_ pretty damn pale..."

Lying back, he observes Ishimaru nod his head, and sigh deeply.

"Yes. It is called atrial fibrillation, and I have had it ever since birth. Normally, it is fairly treatable - but my body seems to be rejecting every treatment they try." Taking Mondo's look of slight sympathy to be one of interest, he continues, tightening his fists in the fabric of his foam green hospital gown. "The electrical currents of my heart are quickened and irregular, and so my heart beats faster than normal... My atria do not beat properly, and instead -"

"Alright!" Mondo roars, looking bored to tears. "I don't gotta hear yer whole medical history, do I? I ain't a fuckin' doctor, I dunno what the shit yer talkin' about!"

Startled, Ishimaru nods, clearing his throat before finishing. "I often feel weak as a result, and have suffered from fainting spells." He tilts his head to the side, examining his strange roommate as silence hangs in the room somewhat uncomfortably. There is a certain aspect to the biker he finds intriguing, although he can't quite put his finger on it. He shakes his head.

"Anyway, perhaps you would not find yourself in accidents if you did not engage in such reckless activities as motorcycling! That sort of hobby is for delinquents and hooligans only!"

Mondo grits his teeth, becoming more and more enraged. "The fuck did you say? 'M a delinquent, and 'm fuckin' _proud_ of it, asshole!"

"That is not something you should be proud of! You disrupt the peace riding around in your biker gang, and the sort of slackness you and your type exhibit shall not be tolerated!"

The recently pompadoured delinquent can't believe his ears. This Ishimaru is really asking for it, but he knows there's nothing he can do while confined to a hospital bed. He wants to throw a book at this annoying kid, do something to shut him up - but there are no books on hand, all the books in the room are in Ishimaru's half, and so Mondo simply throws an arm over his own face and tries to feign sleep. And eventually, long after the light has been turned out and Ishimaru's papers have been put away, he does find it.


	2. Pain and Kyoudais

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This kid can't be any more irritating, Mondo thinks to himself. But he does have some guts, he'll give him that.
> 
> *needle mention in this chapter because of IV drips*  
> Their discussion is slightly based off the DR manga

"Oi."

Mondo is ignored in favor of math notes and textbooks; he lets out a sharp growl in frustration.

"Hey! Listen to me, dammit!"

 _Finally_ Ishimaru looks up. "Yes? Do you require something, Oowada-kun?"

"Can't ya move back inta yer corner or someth'n?"

"No. This is where they placed my bed during my appointment, and so this is where I shall remain."

Mondo can't hold back another behemoth of a sigh at the prefect's vehemence, cursing his luck for ending up sharing a room with this utter _prick_ for months upon months. He'd tried to protest the movement of Ishimaru's bed, but the nurses had only briefly informed him that the beds had to be moved closer, to free up the corner for possible other patients.

Mondo couldn't give a _damn_ about those other patients. He wants Ishimaru away from him, and he wants it _now._ He's been enduring the red-eyed menace's presence for a week now, and he's had enough.

"Fuckkk... Stay the fuck away from me, will ya?"

Ishimaru is only happy to oblige; he doesn't want anything to do with a _loud, rude_ delinquent any more than Mondo wants to deal with a _brazen, uptight_ hall monitor.

"Would you please turn off the television? The noise is interfering with my studying."

In response, Mondo only hitches up the device's volume without so much as a glance in the other boy's direction. The prefect sets his pencil down in irritation.

"I believe I asked you a favor."

"And I believe I asked ya to _fuck off!_ " the biker snarls, turning the volume up to an impossibly loud level that is sure to hurt both of their eardrums. That is, until a medic comes in and informs him that he is disturbing the peace of the other patients in the ward. The nurse confiscates the remote, being sure to switch off the television set before leaving.

Bored, Mondo is left with nothing to do but glare at Ishimaru, lavender eyes boring deep into ruby.

"You are a coward, you know. You cannot always run away from your problems, Oowada-kun."

"The fuck did you say?!" the blond male roars, straining to get away from the hospital bed and leap upon the other, choke the words right out of him - but he cannot move, his broken leg remains in a cast elevated above the sheets, and his chest heaves as he begins to cough deeply.

Ishimaru turns to him coolly.

"I said you were a coward. It is only the truth; I do not see why you are getting so upset over this simple fact."

"I ain't no fuckin' coward! Are ya sayin' ya got more balls than me or somethin'?" Mondo feels his blood boiling, perhaps literally; he grits his teeth together, hands wrapping themselves into fists and entwining within the pristine white sheets.

"Yes! I am!"

"What, you wanna fight or some shit? Make it a competition, a true test of manliness?"

Ishimaru ponders Mondo's suggestion for only a brief moment before he nods curtly. "Yes! Name the activity and time, and I shall be up for it!"

"Fine." The biker grins cruelly, hoisting himself up on one elbow stiffly to examine the other male. "How 'bout this. We unplug these damn IVs from us, an' we see who can go longer without pain meds. Make it an endurance thing."

Ruby eyes widen impossibly wide for a second before the prefect settles his features once more, offering up another crisp nod.

"That idea sounds insane, but so be it. Yes! Let us battle!"

Glaring daggers at Ishimaru, the blond fumbles to remove the IV drip which is hooked up to his arm; the black-haired male does the same, crossing his arms over his chest with an emphatic _"Hmph!"_

The room is silent for a moment as both males simply sit there blankly; the pain hasn't come yet, and they truly aren't sure how they are supposed to be battling without the obstacle. But then Mondo's fractured limb begins to throb, and he lets out a rather loud expletive as Ishimaru watches disapprovingly. 

"See? You are already giving in to your pain! You truly are a weak coward!"

"Why don't ya just shut the fuck up..." the biker growls, gritting his teeth audibly. 

"No! Biker gangs are groups of violent hooligans who relish in their power and use their vehicles to terrorize the streets! You do not put in any effort, and that is why you shall become a loser in life!"

Mondo's hands clench into fists. "Listen, ya don't know shit about 'm life! I got my own shit, yeah? 'M gonna have to run the gang when I get outta here, since Daiya's gone! Th' gang's always been important to me, they were like 'm goddamn _family_ growin' up... I looked up to Daiya, goddammit! Wanted to be exactly like 'im!" He pauses for breath, taking in Ishimaru's slightly shocked expression. 

"I bet even Chuck thinks I'm a damn piece of shit, huh..."

"Chuck?" The prefect cocks his head to the side in confusion; Mondo gulps audibly, the corner of his mouth twisting upwards in a sad sort of grimace.

"Yeah. 'E was 'm dog... Maltese. A good old boy... brought me the paper every mornin', an' everythin'. But 'e died..."

He begins to tear up slightly, and despite his greatest attempts to hold them back a few trickle beyond the floodgates.

"Ya get it now? All I 'ad was the gang 'n Daiya... I got no parents, 'm big bro's gone... The gang's all I got _left_ , for fuck's sake! I gotta take care of it, I gotta make sure it keeps goin' now the leader's gone! 'S all on _my_ damn shoulders now!" He gulps heavily, shoulders twitching up and down slightly as he quietly gasps for breath, overcome with emotion for the first time in recent memory. 

"I... fuck, I know I can't keep doin' this shit forever... I wanna do somethin', ya know? Maybe build some shit instead 'a knockin' it down... Be a carpenter and shit!"

Ishimaru looks startled at his roommate's outburst. "I...I see... That is remarkably different from what I had first thought of you, to be honest."

The biker huffs slightly, flopping back against the pillows bonelessly as he grips his throbbing head, turning slightly to the side to avoid lying on his broken ribs. "Fuck... _this hurts_... But 'm sure ya don't gotta worry 'bout takin' over for anyone! I mean, 'm pretty sure yer a genius, always studyin' so damn hard..."

"NO!" Ishimaru's loud shout startles them both; the prefect's scarlet eyes grow wide at his own loud outburst, and he clutches his chest, breath hitching as a ripple of pain shoots through his heart. Mondo coughs loudly, a deep, hacking noise which cuts sharply through the momentary silence in the room.

"O-Ouch... But please, do not refer to me as that word... I am nothing of the kind."

"Y-Yer not? S-Sorry..." Mondo mutters, taken aback by the normally quiet Ishimaru's sudden volume. 

"No, I am not!" The prefect sighs deeply, glaring firmly at nothing in particular before a sudden wave of chest pain overtakes him; he lets out a slight cry, squeezing his eyes shut and fisting his hand in the material of the hospital gown over his heart.

He relaxes slightly as the pain passes. "Have you heard of Toranosuke Ishimaru?" He continues hurriedly, waiting for neither confirmation nor dissent. "He was my grandfather, who became Prime Minister at one point... He was a _true_ genius. He never had to put forth any true effort, and only simply rode on the coattails of others when he could not do something perfectly himself. But his pedestal soon crumbled and fell; and with it the reputation of the Ishimaru family." He pauses for breath, chest heaving as he continues to clutch on to it. Mondo follows suit, groaning as he gently - _ever so gently_ \- rests a hand on his own broken ribs, which relentlessly ache. 

"It is not only his massive debt that is throwing our family into ruin, but also the honor which he has forced us to lose. I have had to shoulder that burden all throughout my life, simply for carrying the name of the Prime Minister who threw the country into scandal. I refuse to end up like him! I am not a genius, one who may achieve all that they desire simply through their own good fortune and very little hard work! With enough effort, I plan to change this country for the better! I shall become Prime Minister _myself_ , and show the world that a person of lesser intelligence who tries their hardest every day shall succeed more that a lazy genius ever could!"

His chest rises and falls as he attempts to catch his breath, winding down from his tirade. "Do you see now?"

Mondo nods shakily; he supposes he does see now, in a way. He lets out a low moan nonetheless, as the pain in his cranium is steadily increasing, rising to nearly unbearable levels. 

Ishimaru looks slightly dizzy and winded, but he smiles briefly, turning to face the larger male as best he can. "I usually do not speak of my past, but it seems to be different with you. You appear to be a natural leader, Oowada-kun. I wonder if this kind of enjoyment I feel when speaking with you is what one feels when they have a friend..." He gulped slightly, scooting forward in his bed. 

"I mean... I don't really got too many friends, so I guess we could be... Yer not as bad as I thought ya were, honestly."

Ishimaru turns toward him with an expression of awe on his features; Mondo waves him away, grimacing in excruciating pain. 

"Y-You truly are kind, Oowada-kun!"

Mondo doesn't even reply, in a mixture of embarrassment and agony; he simply lies back on the pillows and tries not to dislodge the gauze which is wrapped around his skull, leaning his weight on the side of his torso which is not bruised and broken.

_"O-Oh..."_

The biker looks up just in time to see the prefect's startling ruby eyes flutter closed before he falls, upper body slumping over in the cot as if in slow motion. His back rises and falls to signify he is breathing, but apart from that no movement is evident in Ishimaru's body. Mondo jumps to a seated position, not caring about the throbbing he feels in his head, in the interests of his new-found friend's safety.

"Nurse! Nurse!" he hollers, slamming his fist down on the call button with all the energy he can muster as he ignores the pain shooting through his body, lavender eyes flickering over to Ishimaru's slumped-over form worriedly. 

The nurse soon rushes through the door, green eyes open wide in panic and brown hair disheveled. Mondo only has a moment to ponder the young male's strange appearance - because _really,_ what sort of nurse wears a _hoodie_ in a hospital, and _what is up_ with his hair, a large section of it juts off at an odd angle - and then his attentions are once more focused on his roommate, who shows no sign of movement. 

The nurse - nurse Naegi, his nameplate reads - hurriedly props up Ishimaru's prone body, checking his vital signs before hefting a sigh of relief and plugging the IV back in, simply believing it to have fallen out. He sticks tape over the small patch of skin on the red-eyed male's wrist, ensuring the IV will not fall out again, before fixing Mondo's and finally leaving the room and going back to whatever it is nurses do.

"O-Oi, ya ok?" Mondo asks in concern, reaching out a hand to prod Ishimaru's side as he sighs in relief; the pain medication is beginning to take effect once more. 

The prefect finally lets out an unearthly moan, blinking blearily as he raises himself to a sitting position excruciatingly slowly. "Oowada...kun?" he asks, bright crimson eyes clouded by a combination of pain and sleepiness. 

Chest hurting slightly with an entirely different sort of pain - now emotional instead of physical, an odd pain in direct correlation with his own pride being destroyed - Mondo huffs slightly before bowing his head in defeat.

"Alright, ya got me. Ya win, ok, kid?"

Ishimaru smiles weakly before breaking into a slightly pained grin.

"Oowada-kun, you truly are a nice person, aren't you?"

"...I guess..." He doesn't feel like a nice person, not when his brother's blood is on his hands, not when he's accustomed to using violence to solve all of his problems. He shrugs nonchalantly.

"We are very different, as starkly different as the colors black and white... but I believe we should be able to get along well. In fact, I will not simply call you my friend, I shall call you Kyoudai!" Despite Ishimaru's excited and happy declaration, he appears slightly apprehensive, as if fearing Mondo will reject his friendship just as he had been rejected by others so many times before.

Instead, though, the biker grins the best he can, poking the prefect's side playfully.

"Yeah! I'll call ya that, too! Kyoudai!"

Strength returning slightly, he pats Ishimaru's shoulder before attempting to sit up in bed once more.

"So, uh... can I turn th' tv on now? I found another remote..."

The prefect smiles at his new Kyoudai, reaching his arm out to poke him gently as well.

"Yes, but please do not make it too loud, alright, Kyoudai?"

Mondo truly smiles then, for the first time since entering the hospital a week ago.

"Yeah, ok... _Kyoudai."_


	3. Butterflies and Boyfriends

"Ah... Kyoudai?"

"Yeah?" Mondo pauses, noticing the sudden solemnity of Kiyotaka's voice. 

"My father is coming to visit me today, he... he wished to speak with me in private. I hope that you do not mind if I leave the room for a short while?"

Mondo shakes his head immediately. "Nah, no problem! Yer old man's got some shit to tell ya, I don't mind not hearin' it. 'Sides, if you wanna, yer gonna tell me anyway, right?"

Smiling slightly at his honorary brother's understanding before nodding, Ishimaru reaches for a book, sliding on a pair of reading glasses before he sighs slightly.

"I cannot read; I am simply too excited. To be honest, I have not seen him for quite a time, only communicated through emails and telephone calls. I am quite excited."

Mondo nods in sympathy; although he himself has no existing family, he understands the prefect's position. 

"Ya can be excited, I don't mind. 'S nice to see ya happy for once."

 _Plus, 'e's cute when 'e's happy..._ Mondo shakes his head wildly for seemingly no reason, trying to push the odd thought far from his brain, finally shoving it away into some deep and dark cranny. 

"Are you alright, Kyoudai?"

A deep sigh. "'M fine, bro. Just thought of somethin' weird."

"O-Oh." The room is filled with an uncomfortable, awkward silence before the nurse arrives; it's the same nurse who's been attending them for a month now, the nurse with odd hair and a slightly timid demeanor; nurse Naegi.

"Ishimaru-kun, you have a visitor... Also, the two of you are going to have another roommate soon, so please don't be surprised when that happens, ok?"

He helps the red-eyed male into a wheelchair, taking him out to visit his father while leaving Mondo to ponder his words. 

_New roommate?_ His face falls slightly; he doesn't really want to share his room with someone else, not now when he's currently sharing it with Ishimaru, his best friend and the only person in the entire world who actually cares what becomes of him. Won't another person just ruin that? What if - he grits his teeth and clenches his fists, hidden beneath the blanket - this new roommate will take Ishimaru away from him? 

He doesn't have long to fret, though, for it doesn't take long for the aforementioned prefect to return, looking slightly crestfallen. 

"I thought ya were goin' to have a nice talk with yer dad?"

Ishimaru shakes his head sadly. 

"He does not have time to stay at the moment. He says he shall return later."

 _Oh._ Mondo doesn't have time to feel compassion for his friend, however, for it is at this moment that the nurses decide to come in, asking both males to please go to the hallway for a short time, as they are moving things in their room.

Although the biker protests strongly, he doesn't have much of a choice; he ends up sitting, cold and slightly shivering in only a thin hospital gown, on a bench with Ishimaru at his side.

"So... what'd yer dad want with ya, anyway?"

The prefect shrugs non-descriptively, glancing down as his gaze affixes to the tiles. "It is nothing important. Please, do not worry about it."

Mondo simply nods, respecting the disciplinarian's obvious wish not to discuss the topic.

He doesn't have time to come up with something else to say, though; they're soon being tugged back into their room by nurse Naegi. It appears he hasn't taken too long to finish whatever he had been doing, a fact which Mondo is extremely grateful for.

Their new roommate's arrived; it soon becomes extremely obvious what Naegi had been doing while the two males were evicted from their room. Mondo wrinkles his nose at the sight of the boy in the new bed; he looks much too... _punk_ for his liking. His hair is dyed a bright shade of carrot orange that is blatantly unnatural, and a wispy little beard - or goatee, really - hangs off his chin. Ishimaru turns up his own nose in distaste at the other male's littering of piercings, but he at least attempts to be friendly.

"H-Hello," he comments, getting carefully back into his bed and sighing in relief at its relative comfort. 

"Yo!" Oh god, Mondo does _not_ like this kid at all. He shoots him a glare from across the room, which appears to not daunt the redhead one bit; he simply grins at the irate biker in return, before turning his attentions back to Ishimaru with a charismatic grin.

"Ya seem cool. 'M Leon, Leon Kuwata, future rockstar!"

Although he appears slightly uncomfortable, Ishimaru at least gives the boy - Leon - a response. 

"My name is Kiyotaka Ishimaru. It is nice to meet you." He coughs slightly before continuing. "Why are you here, then? I noticed the side of your face appears to be bruised..."

Leon looks flustered for a moment before he presses a hand to the blotchy, black and blue spot on his cheek, frowning slightly. "I play baseball, dude. Got in a battin' cage accident."

He shrugs nonchalantly, as if being smacked in the face and body by a hundred baseballs launched at full speed is no problem for him whatsoever.

Not even honoring the punk little shit with a response, Mondo growls briefly before throwing his arm over his face, pressing a hand to his bandaged side tentatively. Luckily, his previous fears appear to have been unfounded; Ishimaru seems to not enjoy the baseballer's presence much if at all. He simply nods while Leon continues to ramble, ruby eyes glazing over with boredom while he still attempts to be polite.

However, Mondo can still see his Kyoudai's beseeching glances towards him; he lets out a low chuckle at the plain look of _help!_ in Ishimaru's eyes before he flips on the television, blocking out Leon's incessant chatter. God, he hopes the kid recovers quickly; he wants him out of the room even more than he had wanted Ishimaru out. It doesn't help that he seems to have been gaining new, protective feelings towards the boy in the bed next to him. He just wants to gather up Ishimaru and hug him to his chest, protect him from outside harm - and _where_ are these thoughts _coming from,_ because he's certainly not coming up with them of his own accord. 

"Shut up, will ya!" He takes his anger out on the baseballer, snapping at him to just _be quiet_ before he turns the television off again, rolling over on his side and flipping off Leon, whose presence he certainly _does not enjoy._

When he finally awakens, he lets out a sigh of relief as he sees that Leon is mysteriously absent. He turns to Ishimaru, who is sitting up in his own bed with a similar relieved expression. 

"Where'd 'e go?"

"The courtyard. I sincerely hope I get to go out there, too..." Ishimaru sighs, and Mondo feels a pang of sympathy in his heart. Stamping down these weak, _weak_ feelings which are fast developing, he reaches out a hand to pat the hall monitor's arm reassuringly, surprised to feel an odd sparking sensation as soon as he brushes against Ishimaru's bare skin. He pulls back, glaring at his quivering fingertips even as the disciplinarian gazes on him in a state of confusion. 

"Is something the matter, Kyoudai?"

"Nothin'!" Mondo exclaims too quickly for it to be nothing; he gulps thickly, finally resting his arm by his side once more. This is almost exactly how he feels when he has a crush on a girl, he... he can't make sense of this. He likes girls... doesn't he? Not Ishimaru... right?

He decides to push the strange thoughts from his mind, offering up a large grin to the boy his mind has been occupied with for days, and who is he kidding, Ishimaru's been in his mind for the entire month now, ever since entering the hospital, he was oddly drawn to him even when angry - but he pushes this all from his mind, because it's not important now. His Kyoudai is, will always be. Even if these new-found feelings are brushed away and rejected, Ishimaru will always be the most important thing in Mondo's life. For really, what else does he have?

He reaches out to pat Ishimaru's arm once more, relieved that the slight shock is absent. "'M sure yer gonna get to go out there soon! We just gotta ask yer doctor, yeah? I can get outside already, so we could go together..." He gulps once more, realizing that his offer - _go out_ \- could, potentially, be taken for a date invitation. But really... would that be so bad? Images flash through his still-bandaged skull - images of Ishimaru wrapping his arms around his waist, pictures of the black-haired boy kissing him softly, visages of the prefect holding his hand, and even an image which is decidedly sexual. He tries desperately to shake the pictures loose, wringing his hands by his sides not in disgust at the images, but in disgust at himself for thinking so wrongly of his best friend. 

Ishimaru doesn't notice anything amiss; instead, he rests his chin on a fist, bright ruby eyes reflecting his pensive mental state. "Perhaps; I shall have to ask my doctor... I believe I have an appointment with him this afternoon. But thank you, Oowada-kun, I... I would like that rather a lot." He beams brightly at his best friend, a heartwarming smile which causes Mondo's heart to beat just that much faster. 

"Uh... yeah! Gonna be great!" 

Later, once Ishimaru's been carted away for his appointment, Mondo can't help but worry. What if the doctor says he isn't allowed outside? He wants to go on a walk with his Kyoudai, as cheesy as it may seem. He... wants to do a lot of things with Ishimaru, the fact of the matter being that he seems to have a rather inopportune crush on the younger male. He recognizes it for what it is now, and although he may be confused, he has decided not to fight it any longer. "Fuckkk..."

Knowing the prefect's appointments last around an hour, Mondo has no choice but to try to relax, accepting his newly realized feelings as he hunts for the tv remote. It seems that's all there is to do in the hospital; Mondo thinks he's watched more cooking shows than he's ever wanted to in his entire life. He thinks if he has to hear any more infomercials, his brain is probably going to start melting like butter. Ick.

It's a good distraction, though, and so it doesn't seem like long until Ishimaru's back, silly grin plastered on his features. Mondo sits up hurriedly, expectant look on his face. 

"The doctor confirmed it! I can go outside!"

"That's great, Kyoudai!" the biker laughs, pressing the nurse call button quickly. This time, two nurses rush in; not only Naegi, but also a calm and collected girl with long lavender hair, a section of which is portioned off in a long braid. 

"C-Can we go outside?"

The nurses glance at each other before consenting; Naegi takes Mondo's wheelchair while the girl, whose name is evidently Kirigiri, assists Ishimaru. 

The garden's sunny and bright; the whiff of fresh air for the first time in months nearly brings tears to the prefect's ruby eyes, while the simple thought of being able to ride again makes the biker smile wistfully. 

The two glance around as they are wheeled to the center of the courtyard - yes, there's Leon, under a tree, tossing an apple in the air and catching it in his hand - and simply glance at all the other patients.

There's a blue haired girl Mondo thinks he might vaguely have heard of; she's a _pop idol,_ isn't she, who was stabbed by a rabid fan - there's a girl with long black hair coiled into spiral rolls, who looks as though she was caught in a fire - there's a small programmer with a laptop, with a massive head wound - there's even a girl with a tattoo for the famous mercenary group, Fenrir, who appears to be recovering from multiple stab wounds.

The nurses leave Ishimaru and Mondo in a patch of sunlight near a bush; they wander a few paces away, confident the two will shout if they need anything.

The biker gulps nervously, stomach filled with butterflies as he gazes at Ishimaru's exuberant face, the only word coming to his mind _cute cute cute cute..._ It _is_ nice to be outside, but he decides then and there, on the spot, that he's going to tell his Kyoudai of his feelings. Even though he's only just discovered them himself, he doesn't think he can continue to hide them, and he's sure it will be a great burden off his chest.

So he turns to Ishimaru - who glances at him curiously, sparkling ruby eyes wide and perfect rosy lips parted ever so slightly - and watches a butterfly go past, and he gulps, for the insect's movements perfectly mirror that of the anxiety swirling within his gut, settling into a hard lump. 

"Uh... Kyoudai?" His voice sounds as nervous as he feels. Still, Ishimaru turns, offering up a smile at the larger male. "Yes?"

"Uh... I gotta tell ya somethin', so don't freak out, ok?"

"Of course, Kyoudai... I shall always be here to give you advice or assistance, should you need it."

_Maybe not after this, you won't._

Mondo clears his throat, _loudly._

"Listen, I, uh... I really like ya, Kyoudai..."

Ishimaru smiles. "Of course, I like you too! We are friends, after all!"

A grimace. "N-No, that's not what I meant... I... I GOT A FUCKIN' _CRUSH_ ON YA, ALRIGHT?!"

Chest heaving with emotion, he frowns, soon realizing his outburst had been extremely loud, loud enough that all the other patients are glancing towards the two with expressions of various degrees of interest. 

Ishimaru turns red, a bright shade of deep pink which colors his cheeks cutely... Mondo shakes the thoughts out of his head in a state of panic, awaiting his friend's reaction closely.

"I.. ah, I..." - Mondo braces for rejection - "I am glad!" 

_What._

"I have feelings for you as well, Kyoudai! I did not mention anything, for I was sure they would not be reciprocated!"

The expression of utter bliss on the disciplinarian's face causes Mondo to break out into nervous laughter, reaching for the smaller male to pull him into an awkward semi-hug, the best he can do whilst in a wheelchair. 

"'M so fuckin' glad." 

Laughing giddily, they decide they've had enough sunshine, and ask the nurses - who are frantically hiding giggles behind their hands - to please take them back.

However, once back in the room, they are greeted with - nothing. Leon's bed and belongings are gone. Confused, Mondo hobbles from his wheelchair with the aid of a pair of conveniently-placed crutches - the nurses are nowhere in sight - to see there is a note lying innocuously atop the sheets of his bed. He grabs it, beginning to read it while retaining a slight look of suspicion.

_Yo. As you can see, I moved out! I got myself moved out 'cause I figured you guys needed privacy. I mean come on, I noticed the romantic tension between the two of ya right from the start! It was pretty damn obvious, lemme tell ya. But ya seemed like pretty chill guys, so I left ya with a farewell present. Use it well and shit. But seriously, get a room, guys._

_Leon Kuwata (trust me, yer gonna want this autograph someday)_

Mondo growls in frustration before tossing the piece of paper away, ignoring the prefect's confused expression as he rips the cover off the bed, only to spot lying there -

A condom.

A motherfucking _condom._

The biker snatches it up in pure rage, flinging the little wrapper at the wall with a speed that would make even Leon himself blanch in fear. 

"That little fucker, how dare 'e fuckin' say shit like that! And we've _got_ a damn room, asswipe!"

Ishimaru only laughs slightly, beseeching Mondo to please get into bed and calm down.

The biker complies, but only for his boyfriend's sake.


	4. Interoom

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mondo is permitted to leave, but he can't help but incessantly think of the boy he's left behind.

"Mondo, I - I don't think this is a good idea."

Mondo shrugs nonchalantly before continuing, lifting up his smaller boyfriend with ease. 

"See? 'M strong, I can carry ya!" Ishimaru looks slightly fearful, peering down at the safety of the ground from the vantage point of Mondo's arms. 

"Yes, you are strong, Kyoudai. However, please place me down on the grass before you drop me!"

Finally the biker obliges, pouting slightly as he glares at a conspicuous patch of sunlight on the path. 

"Yer no fun."

"I know," Ishimaru laughs, pressing a small kiss to his boyfriend's cheek. "That is why I am here! To keep you in check!"

"No, yer 'ere 'cause I love ya," Mondo grumbles, blushing slightly as he pulls the other male into a semi-hug. 

"I love you too, Mondo."

It's only been two months since their rather odd and fevered confessions; however, it is impossible to tell by looking at them. Both of them appear the happiest they've ever been in their entire lives - Ishimaru's crimson eyes shine brightly, while Mondo laughs more than ever before. 

"May we please return inside now? I have become slightly weary."

Mondo nods, smile toying around his lips as he ruffles the smaller male's hair affectionately, kissing his forehead lightly. 

"'Course, babe."

They enjoy being outside; the only issue is, sometimes Ishimaru becomes tired. Mondo never minds tending to him, although he worries at times. It appears that while the biker is becoming healthier, the ruby-eyed male is only becoming worse. True, his eyes shine with happiness and the deep bags beneath them have all but disappeared, but he appears worse in fundamental areas - increased weakness, frequency of chest pain, and his decreased ability of movement. The biker tries not to worry, but he glances at his boyfriend swiftly, and sees his slightly ashen face, and feels his own stomach twist in concern.

Shaking the thoughts away, he calls for a nurse, who wheels Ishimaru away. He himself has become strong enough to roll the wheels of his chair alone, a fact which fills his heart with joy yet makes him even more conscious of the severity of his boyfriend's plight. 

Letting out a deep sigh once he's back in their room, he pauses, glancing sadly at Ishimaru's prone form. The prefect is obviously exhausted; a light sheen of sweat is evident on his forehead while his chest rises and falls rapidly. 

"Oi, ya ok?" he probes, leaning over concernedly. The other male nods lightly, unable to even conjure the energy to lift his head. 

"Yes, I... I am fine... I simply require a little rest before continuing, that is all."

Not fully believing his boyfriend's words, Mondo nods slowly. He doesn't know what Ishimaru will do without him - he hasn't even told him yet, that he's being _discharged_ come morning - and he isn't sure if the smaller male will get along with a new roommate. Admittedly, the prefect's been getting along decently with some of the other patients, a girl named Sayaka and the small programmer Mondo's seen in the courtyard upon occasion, but the biker still isn't sure how his boyfriend will feel. 

He even feels as if he's betrayed Ishimaru, somehow; he knows the smaller male will be upset he wasn't informed earlier, and he doesn't want to see - he _can't_ see - the look of abject hurt on his boyfriend's face, or the look of doubt which will surely be flickering around his ruby eyes. 

He needs to tell Ishimaru, however; he can't just up and leave without telling him. So he's going to have to meet him face to face - a letter would be even _worse_ \- and see pass across the disciplinarian's face the expressions he's dreading. It could be worse, though; it won't be goodbye forever. He's going to visit, after all - what sort of boyfriend would he be if he didn't?

Mondo lets out a heavy sigh, lifting himself up on an elbow to face Ishimaru, who cracks open a bright crimson eye despite how tired he feels.

"Uh, babe... I gotta talk to ya real quick."

Looking slightly apprehensive and distressed, the hall monitor shakily raises himself to a position that could loosely be referred to as "sitting up," although the majority of his body remains in the prone position. He glances at Mondo wearily.

"Yes; what is it, Kyoudai?"

He clears his throat. "Uh... well, I figured I'd better tell ya I won't be 'ere tomorrow, 'm... 'm gettin' dismissed, or discharged, or... whatever. Whatever they call it. I dunno what they call it!" Realizing he is rambling, the biker soon quiets, glancing quickly to Ishimaru for any sort of a reaction.

"I-I see..." The prefect's face is clouded with an odd emotion; it appears to be a mix of sadness, bittersweet happiness, and regret.

"In the interests of your health, I am glad you are allowed to leave, Kyoudai. However... d-does this mean, then, that we are... 'breaking up?'"

Mondo's eyes widen as he falters for breath. "Of course not!!" he stammers finally, shocked that Ishimaru would even _consider_ the thought. 

"Ah, good!" the hall monitor sighs, evidently much relieved. "I was worried for a moment!"

"Well, ya don't gotta be," Mondo grumbles, glancing at the clock as he observes that time is advancing quickly, and the hour is fast becoming very late.

"Look, stop worryin' and let's go to sleep, 'kay?"

Smiling ever so slightly, Ishimaru nods in assent, rolling over on his side to face Mondo even as the light is turned off. 

In the morning, Mondo is first awoken by the sound of chirping emanating through the open window. Rubbing his eyes blearily, he glares at the culprit - a seemingly innocuous bluebird - before sitting up, surprised to spot Ishimaru already awake and peering at him with intense eyes the color of garnets. 

"Mornin'... I think 'm leavin' in a few minutes... we slept late." He glances at the clock to note it's almost one in the afternoon.

Ishimaru nods sadly. 

"I know, I... I wished to be awake for your departure."

Mondo sighs, hefting his own body out of bed and propping his weight up on crutches. "I'd better go sign the papers I need to 'n shit... get properly dressed... I promise I'll come back before I leave, ok?"

The prefect nods, smiling slightly as he pulls the covers back over his body while watching his boyfriend limp from the room ever so slowly.

Mondo soon decides he does not like paperwork. It's taking entirely too long, and he has far too little patience for it. All he wants is to return to Ishimaru's side.

At long last, he's allowed free, and naturally the first place he goes is Ishimaru's room. The nurses are already in the process of moving in a new patient in his place - it's the small programmer again, although Mondo isn't sure of the teen's name - and he has to squeeze to fit into the room. Ishimaru's eyes alight as soon as he spots him. 

"Babe, I... 'm gonna go soon. Wanna say bye first, though..." He gingerly sits down on the side of Ishimaru's bed, surprised when his smaller boyfriend wraps his arms tightly around him. 

"I will miss you, Mondo." The faintest tinge of sadness hangs in his voice; Mondo pulls back, stares at the prefect intently.

"It ain't like we're not gonna see each other again, ya know. 'M gonna visit ya, at least once every week! Probably twice!"

The raven-haired boy smiles.

"I... I would like that, Mondo."

With that, the biker leans in, pressing a deep kiss to Ishimaru's lips as he lets his hands brush against the disciplinarian's sides, thumbs rubbing reassuringly.   
"I'll see ya soon, babe." Pulling away, he smiles gently before standing.

"Yes. Take care of yourself, Kyoudai."

He nods, before deciding he can't take seeing Ishimaru's face any longer - he runs the risk of crying. So he turns on his heel and limps out of the room, out of the hospital, without a second thought other than what he's going to do with his boyfriend when he comes to visit. 

It doesn't take long for him to reach his home, but throughout the entire journey his thoughts are taken up by a certain black-haired male with startling ruby irises.

The house is cold, colder than it's ever been, and not just in terms of its temperature, although that itself is frigid from the heating having been off for so long. But everywhere Mondo looks are mementos - pictures of himself and Daiya, gifts his older brother had given him over the years, even his brother's bed. 

He balls his hands into fists as a new wave of anguish sweeps over him; letting out a dry and choked sob, he latches on to the sheets of the bed and begins to cry lightly. The tears inside him have a much greater volume than those leaking out, but still, even alone in his own cold and lonely house, Mondo still can't let himself sob in earnest. Shivering slightly, he wraps himself in the blanket, sitting carefully - for he's still not fully healed - on the edge of his brother's bed. 

"Daiya, I... 'm real goddamn sorry..."

But he knows a simple apology isn't enough, not when Daiya's life was cut short due to his, Mondo's, dumb mistake. It's something he can never take back, no matter how much he regrets it. And that fact tears him apart. Even Chuck is gone, he has been for a while - but right now the biker would give anything to have that little white ball of fluff by his side, tail wagging furiously and pink tongue lapping at his face. 

He futilely pats the cold bed beside him in sadness. Perhaps, he wonders, if Ishimaru were here, he wouldn't feel so bad... No. He _knows_ he wouldn't. Ishimaru has a way of soothing him, making him calmer. 

But Ishimaru isn't here right now. He's in his bed at the hospital, struggling with his own heart fighting against him, and likely missing his boyfriend. 

Mondo lets out a sigh, resting his head on his brother's pillow as he attempts in vain to fall asleep, even though the hour is still early. For a second he swears he feels his boyfriend's warm weight curled behind him, but... 

His shoulders heave as he lets out another pathetic, choked sob, wishing the smaller male really were here with him.

That's all he wants right now.


	5. Loneliness and Lovers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mondo simply lounges around his own home in a state of self-pity until an unexpected knock at his door catches him off-guard. However, an unforeseen turn of events leaves him both happy and anxious.
> 
> *this chapter contains smut*

Mondo yawns, lifting his hands above his head and stretching as he arches his back in a decidedly feline manner.

Reaching for the remote which lies beside him, he lazily flips through television channels, letting his eyes rest on each one for no more than five seconds before he's switched to the next.

Letting out a ghastly moan of boredom, he tosses the remote haphazardly to the floor, flopping down on the sofa and letting his head fall backwards as he gazes at the paint on the wall.

He would never have guessed his house would be so damn boring.

There'd always been something for him to do, during his younger years; it had seemed like the days of frolicking with Chuck while Daiya watched from afar would never end. He distinctly remembers one occasion - he'd only been about eight years old, really - where he rode a small toy motorbike with the small white puffball yapping in his wake. He'd fallen off and began to bawl before Chuck lapped at his face and Daiya chuckled as he came to help his little brother to his feet.

Mondo smiles at the memory only briefly before groaning in defeat, throwing a punch towards the couch cushions as his other hand clenches into a fist. 

He pushes the thoughts from his brain as he sits up, observing it has become dark. It's only been a few days since he's returned home - or maybe a week; the only way Mondo can tell is by the number of old soda cans and filthy take-out containers of various varieties littering the kitchen - but he's already run out of things to do. An empty house gets boring quickly, he reasons as he slumps forward, clutching yet another can of root beer found in the fridge from god-knows how long ago. 

A sudden buzz at the door has him sitting up straight, surprised; a small amount of soda spills from the can as he jumps in surprise. He growls at the small stain on his shirt as he runs his hands through his hair, still wet from his prior shower. 

A second buzz has him snarling a hurried "Comin', goddammit!" as he stands, slamming down the soda can on an innocent and unsuspecting table as he stalks to the door, wrenching it open with all the force of a man disturbed, ready to growl at whoever's on the other side -

And stops.

Because it's Ishimaru standing there, blinking up at him with hopeful scarlet eyes and rosy cheeks. 

Mondo gapes slightly, because even though it hasn't been long since he's seen Ishimaru, it has felt like an eternity. Not caring about his own shoddy attire or the new root beer stain on his shirt, he wraps his arms tightly around his boyfriend, ignoring the prefect's squeak of surprise. He tugs the smaller male through the door - noticing, quickly, that Ishimaru appears to be wearing a white uniform of some sort - and through the kitchen quickly, depositing him on the couch before rushing back to the kitchen to at least _attempt_ to clean up some of this mess. 

It's a futile effort.

Letting out a low growl as he gives up and washes his hands briefly, he rushes to Ishimaru's side, flopping down on the couch with enough force to make the smaller male bounce slightly on the cushion. 

"So, uh... 's great to see ya, babe, but why're ya here?"

He realizes that sounds extremely rude, but he's genuinely concerned; does Ishimaru need anything? Is he hurt? Injured? In need of company? He frowns slightly.

"T-That's not what I mean, um... everythin' ok? Ya need anythin'?"

The disciplinarian shakes his head lightly. 

"I am fine, Kyoudai. I simply wished to spend time with you, but..." - he toys with his own fingers somewhat nervously - "if this is an inconvenient time or you do not wish to see me, I shall of course depart immediately." He stands and begins to hurry to the door anxiously, but before he can comprehend what is happening Mondo's fingers are encircling around his wrist and pulling him backwards, into the biker's lap. 

"Yer not goin' anywhere, babe. I want ya here, I was just worried ya needed somethin' or were hurt, shit like that. Don't worry so damn much, 'kay?"

He smiles reassuringly, squeezing Ishimaru slightly. The prefect smiles in return, turning around to wrap his arms around Mondo's shoulders. "Alright. I shall of course stay, then."

Ishimaru looks the happiest Mondo's ever seen him. His crimson eyes shine with brightness anew, his face lights up with a bright smile, and the ghastly bags beneath his eyes have all but disappeared. Mondo can't help but voice the question which has been burning in his mind ever since catching a glimpse of his boyfriend.

"So... are ya feelin' better? I mean... they let ya out of the hospital?"

Ishimaru nods.

"I was dismissed as well; I have been feeling much better!"

The biker nods in turn, but can't help from giving Ishimaru a sideways glance; despite the fresh glow in his boyfriend's cheeks and the happy look on the prefect's face, Mondo can't keep back the sense of sadness he feels as he looks at the smaller male. It's a sense of foreboding, a bad feeling - but he shakes it from his mind. If the doctors have said Ishimaru is alright to leave, who is he to question their judgement? It is probably nothing, he reasons.

Letting out a deep sigh, he pats the other male's short black hair. 

"'M glad, Kyoudai. So, what do ya wanna do? 'S kinda late... we could watch a movie or somethin'."

Smiling gently, the prefect grabs his boyfriend's hand, interlacing their fingers softly. 

"That sounds rather nice, Mondo."

Gulping as he blushes deeply, the biker nods shakily. "O-Okay. Any movie preference?"

At Ishimaru's head shake of dissent, Mondo lets out a sigh, fumbling with the remote.

"We'll find something, yeah?"

The smaller hall monitor nods, smiling as he snuggles up into Mondo's side comfortably, squeezing his hand softly. 

"Yes. As long as I am with you, I am happy."

The biker smirks then, because it's _cheesy_ , but it's _Ishimaru._ He smiles slightly, ruffling Ishimaru's black hair as he does so. 

"Yeah. Me too, babe."

He isn't even sure what movie they're watching - some sort of romance story, perhaps? he doesn't have the faintest clue as to plot - as he's too busy staring at Ishimaru's face, illuminated only by the light from the television. He watches the slight purse of his boyfriend's lips as he is confused by something; he watches the little sparkle in the raven-haired male's eyes and quirk of his lips as he blushes deeply at something romantic; he ruffles Ishimaru's hair as he presses a small kiss to his forehead. 

Ishimaru looks up suddenly, surprising Mondo. 

"M-Mondo, may I... have a kiss?"

Although slightly taken aback, the biker grins slightly, nodding as he leans forward to press a soft kiss to the prefect's lips. To his surprise, Ishimaru moves to crawl atop him, straddling his body while wrapping his arms around his neck, kissing him passionately. Mondo's hands instinctively fly to his boyfriend's hips as his fingers gently stroke the tiny bit of skin peering out from between Ishimaru's uniform top and pants; the disciplinarian lets out a soft gasp, pressing his lips harder against the biker's. Running his hands down to Mondo's arms, Ishimaru moves his attentions to the larger male's neck, kissing first the junction between jaw and neck before moving downward.

"Ahh, Kiyotaka..." Mondo moans, trying to lift the smaller male off his lap before the erection he is sporting can become extremely evident. 

"Mondo, ah..." Ishimaru pauses, pulling away slightly, face a bright shade of red closely resembling a strawberry, or perhaps an overripe tomato. Mondo isn't sure.

"Y-Yeah?" he asks nervously, rubbing his thumb against his boyfriend's skin reassuringly.

"C-Could we?" the prefect asks in a tinny, weak voice, obviously deeply embarrassed. He presses his face into the skin of Mondo's neck, trying to disguise his flaming cheeks.

"Could we what?" Mondo is deeply confused at this point.

"Could we perhaps try to have... _relations?"_ Ishimaru is trembling slightly. "I-I do not wish to appear too forward, but... I was thinking perhaps we could..."

_Oh._

Mondo nods shakily, hoping he is not misinterpreting the other's insinuation. 

"Y-Yeah, we could... If ya really wanna. 'M not gonna pressure ya into anythin', or make ya do shit ya don't wanna. 'Kay?"

Ishimaru nods, cheeks still a bright shade of cherry red which matches his irises closely. "Ah... Where, then, is your bedroom?"

A sigh. "It's... Uh, yeah, I'll show ya." Rising to his feet, Mondo leads his boyfriend to the small room he calls his bedroom, which is mercifully clean with the exception of a few stray articles of clothing. Haphazardly, he shoves a pair of tiger-print boxers into a drawer in embarrassment. 

"Y-Yeah... 'S not too great, but it'll do, I think..."

Gulping, he lies down on the bed, blushing as Ishimaru tentatively moves to straddle him, chest heaving slightly.

"Uh... I think we gotta take some shit off, if we're gonna do this..." he mutters nervously, fingers fumbling with the golden buttons of Ishimaru's jacket as he struggles to remove it.

The other male nods shakily, gulping as he pulls off Mondo's undershirt before helping his boyfriend remove his own jacket. 

"Yes..." he whispers, running his fingers along the planes of the biker's chest as he presses another quick kiss to Mondo's lips. 

"A-Are ya really sure ya wanna do this? Ya can always back out if ya ain't comfortable," Mondo asks, hands hovering over Ishimaru's belt buckle as he gulps nervously.

The prefect nods sharply, shifting to begin sliding the larger male's sweatpants off his hips. With a decisive nod in return, the biker quickly undoes the belt, hurrying to undo his boyfriend's pants and pull them down.

Both males blush now, helping each other to remove the restrictive garments until they are each left clad in only underwear. Mondo looks down at Ishimaru's plain white briefs, gulping as he toys with the waistband nervously; the prefect nods encouragingly, letting out a breath he hadn't even known he was holding as he is soon exposed to the air. 

Looking away briefly, Mondo hurries to toss his own boxers to the floor before returning his hands to his boyfriend's hips, clearing his throat loudly in his embarrassment. 

Neither of them move for a moment, until Ishimaru boldly moves to grip the biker's thick and heated length. Mondo lets out a sound which can only be described as a whimper, thrusting upwards and into the prefect's hand. Blushing deeply, the raven-haired male presses his own cock to his boyfriend's, gasping loudly at the sensation of their heated skin rubbing together. 

"F-Fuck," Mondo moans, squeezing the disciplinarian's hips softly as the smaller male lets out a soft sigh in pleasure, thrusting slowly against the biker's erection. "D-Do you have... lubricant?" Ishimaru huffs softly, eyelids drooping closed as he falls into a gentle rhythm of thrusts. 

Groaning deeply, Mondo nods, rummaging haphazardly in a bedside drawer before retracting with a small bottle that's god-knows how old. Lavender eyes becoming hazy with lust, he helps to move Ishimaru onto his back, gulping softly. The prefect takes a deep breath, looping his arms around the larger male's shoulders and entwining his fingers within Mondo's hair as he kisses his boyfriend softly. 

"Yer really okay with this?" Mondo reiterates, hesitant to pop the lid off the small bottle of lube. His hands run lightly down Ishimaru's sides as he smiles softly.

The smaller male nods, and with some degree of nervousness Mondo uncaps the bottle, smearing some of the slimy substance on his fingers as he pauses. 

"Yer... uh, a virgin, uh, right?"

Wrapping his legs around the biker's waist, the disciplinarian nods, blushing deeply. "Please be gentle, Mondo..."

Nodding, the larger male moves to prod a finger at Ishimaru's entrance, causing the smaller male to gasp loudly, length twitching slightly in arousal. "P-Please, Kyoudai..." he mewls plaintively, thrusting upwards and against his boyfriend. 

Pushing his finger forward finally, Mondo groans at the tightness he feels, his own cock hardening at the thought. Ishimaru lets out a whimper, ruby eyes becoming hazy with need as he tightens his grip on his boyfriend's shoulders. "Hah... Mondo, please..."

Sliding in another lube-coated finger, the biker sighs, watching Ishimaru's face for any sign of pain. "P-Please... I think that is enough preparation..." the hall monitor mewls, thrusting upwards in a state of extreme need. 

"Oh... alright..." Mondo mutters, pulling his fingers out as he fumbles to reach the bottle of lube - sex is nothing like he'd thought it would be, honestly; not to say he doesn't like it so far, but it's a lot more _awkward_ than he thought - and finally grabbing it with some difficulty. 

"Uh... lemme know if it hurts, ok?" 

He gulps, shivering as he slicks his length with the slightly cold substance; moving to lift his boyfriend's legs slightly, he waits for Ishimaru's nod before he aligns himself and begins to push inside slightly. 

Thumbs rubbing gentle circles into the skin of the disciplinarian's thighs, he thrusts forward gently; Ishimaru keens loudly, clutching onto the biker's shoulders for dear life. "M-Mondo!" he gasps, panting loudly as finally his boyfriend is fully inside him. 

"Ya alright?" Mondo asks, kissing the prefect's lips gently as he remains perfectly still. 

The hall monitor nods, rolling his hips gently against Mondo's as he gestures for the larger male to move. Blinking softly in understanding, the biker begins to thrust gently, moving to stroke Ishimaru's length as he does so; the smaller male arches his back in pleasure, wrapping his hands in Mondo's hair as he thrusts hard into his boyfriend's warm and slightly calloused hand. 

"Please, Mondo..." he gasps out, abdominal muscles flexing slightly, "I-I need this... Please, go faster!"

Moving his hands to wrap around the disciplinarian's hips, Mondo gives an experimental harder thrust, rewarded by the sight of Ishimaru throwing his head back in bliss, mouth falling open as he clenches slightly around the biker's cock. 

"Please... it feels so very good..." he gasps; that's all it takes before Mondo growls softly, pressing his lips deeply against the prefect's own as he thrusts roughly into the warm body beneath him, sliding his fingers up to grip onto the disciplinarian's thighs once more. 

"Fuck, Ishi..." he growls, letting his thumb graze across the head of Ishimaru's length as he gives a particularly hard and punctuated thrust. "A-Ahh!" the smaller male keens, chest rising and falling with his soft pants as he slides shut his lustful eyes, fists entwining within the sheets. Lifting the disciplinarian's legs up to rest on Mondo's shoulders, the biker begins to move faster, slamming into Ishimaru's body as he himself pants, watching the smaller male's lithe body writhe in pleasure atop the sheets. 

"God, Ishi... 'M gonna cum soon," he warns, abdominal muscles clenching as he growls. 

Body moving slightly on the sheets from the force of Mondo's thrusts, the hall monitor nods shakily, blinking blearily as he lets out another cry of pleasure, rolling his hips to try to exacerbate the sensation. "Ah... Mondo!" he gasps, shaking slightly in bliss, fingers tightening in the sheets as he too grows close to orgasm. 

"Fuck, yeah... Ishi..." the biker moans, hand finding its way to Ishimaru's length once more; straining to press a heated and sloppy kiss to the prefect's lips, he strokes roughly, thrusts becoming possibly even more forceful as he pistons into his boyfriend's - no, his _lover's_ \- body a few final times before releasing. The disciplinarian lets out one last cry of pleasure; stimulated both by the feeling of Mondo's thumb rubbing across the head of his cock and the sensation of the biker's thick, hot release inside him, Ishimaru cannot help but to climax himself, releasing onto both his own chest and the larger male's as he feels Mondo pull out of him.

Flopping bonelessly onto the mattress, he gazes towards the bathroom and the shower longingly; however, he soon finds he is too exhausted to get up, and so settles for simply wiping himself off with a tissue. 

The biker sighs, flopping down beside his boyfriend and turning to his side; then he sees Ishimaru's crying, large and round tears dripping from his bright ruby eyes which now shine with moisture, and Mondo's completely befuddled as to why, so he kisses the tears away, hoping they arise from something completely normal - and closes his eyes, and goes to sleep, wrapped around his smaller boyfriend.

He wakes up a few hours later, sheets beside him still warm but conspicuously vacant. Mondo lifts his head from the pillow, blinking back sleep as he rakes back his long blond hair with his fingers. 

"Kiyo? Babe?"

Silence is all that answers him; with a heavy sigh, he hefts his body out of bed, acutely aware - due to the frigidity of the air - that he is only clad in a pair of boxers. Padding softly to the doorway, lavender eyes open wide in shock as he spots the prone form of Ishimaru lying motionless near the doorway to the bathroom. Moving to scoop up his boyfriend's body, a bolt of relief jolts through Mondo as he registers that the prefect is breathing, however shallowly. 

Fumbling to pick up his phone, he swiftly dials for an ambulance, heart whirring in his ears as he clutches an unconscious Ishimaru to his chest, dial tone ringing for what feels like an eternity.


	6. Ambulances and Darkness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mondo's head reels; he hasn't been this anxious since the accident.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There will possibly be an epilogue if requested.

The vivid lights of the ambulance ingrain themselves dizzily into Mondo's retinas. 

He's been simply sitting here for a few moments now, holding his lover's unconscious, motionless body, staring tensely out the window waiting for any sign of the ambulance. The two minutes it takes feels like two hours. 

But he isn't allowed to come with his boyfriend.

He has to watch, concerned beyond belief, as Ishimaru is loaded onto the ambulance and carted away, leaving him in silence. 

One thing rings in his ears.

_Heart failure._

He can't sleep the rest of the night. He tries; he simply lies in his bed, phone in his hand should anything happen; he tries to close his lavender eyes, but he is simply too worried to sleep. 

What if Ishimaru never wakes up?

As soon as the sun is up, Mondo darts out of the house, making his way to the hospital as quickly as he can, worry and impatience growing with each second he goes without seeing Ishimaru.

And when he does see him, most of the worry - although not all - comes crashing out of him like air from a pricked balloon.

"Fuck, Ishi, ya scared me, dammit..." he hisses, pulling the smaller male into a hug. Ishimaru smiles weakly in response.

He visits Kiyotaka every day for the next few days - he's always concerned about the smaller male, but slowly, as Kiyotaka's condition remains stable - although it is not getting any better - he feels he can relax slightly. He ignores the sinking feeling in his gut which intensifies each time he visits. 

They don't particularly do much on their days spent together, either. Mondo usually brings his boyfriend a new book or similar item of interest, happy to be able to bring a smile to Ishimaru's face. The days are beginning to melt together, but the biker finds he doesn't particularly mind. Spending his life together with Ishimaru, even if each day is indistinguishable from the next or the one before it... he finds the idea to be rather pleasant.

 _This_ morning, he strides in, concerned as always - but it's hardly worse than usual, he's always concerned for his boyfriend's health - and approaches the reception desk somewhat gruffly. 

"Can I go see Ishimaru?" he asks, as he asks every day. The nurse pauses.

"I... I apologize, Oowada-kun, but... Ishimaru-kun passed away only a few hours ago. I... I am very sorry for your loss. He was a beloved patient, to all of us..."

Mondo gulps. _Passed away..._ that means _dead..._ doesn't it?

He clutches the smooth marble of the desk for support as he sinks dizzily to his knees; glancing every which way in a state of panic - where's a calendar, because this can't be true; perhaps it's _April Fools'_ or something - but it isn't, it's the ninth of June, which just so happens to be Mondo's birthday. Getting shakily to his feet, the biker staggers - despite the protests of the staff - to the room he'd shared with Ishimaru for two months. This has to be a cruel joke; it simply _can't_ be true. He nods as he considers the idea that maybe, just maybe, this is some sort of a birthday prank, or something similar. That isn't really Ishimaru's style, but Mondo smiles as, he thinks, that must be the case.

It is inconceivable to think that Ishimaru could have died. That the warm flesh-and-blood male, that his lover who was in his arms and happy, mouth open wide in pleasure _just a few days ago_ could be dead and gone forever... it just _isn't possible._

Mondo's footsteps slow as his heartbeat fades to a more manageable rate. That's right; it must simply be some birthday joke. He begins to grin as he opens the door to the room, ready to jovially tell off the prefect for worrying him so - and then stops. Dead in his tracks.

Because Ishimaru's just lying there.

And he isn't getting up.

There's a man by the disciplinarian's side; a man who looks very much like the boy in the bed, a man with graying hair and very similar - yet aged - features to Ishimaru's. He turns his head to stare at the entering Mondo.

The biker stumbles towards the bed as if in a daze, tripping over his own feet as his gaze remains focused on his boyfriend's prone form.

"Wake up." His voice cracks with sadness as he finally - _finally_ \- finds a chair to sit in. He grabs the hall monitor's hand gently; it's growing cold. 

"Yer better than this, babe. Wake up."

Silence. The man near the bed - who must be Kiyotaka's father - frowns somewhat disapprovingly, face pained. 

"Come on. I need ya. Ya need to wake up, ya can't sleep too long, ya know? Ya got shit to do... gotta boss me around, gonna be Prime Minister, right? Can't do that if yer sleepin'..." He lets out a choked sob, grip tightening on Ishimaru's cold and motionless hand. 

"Yer gonna be okay, ya just gotta wake up, alright?"

Somewhere inside of him, he knows his efforts are futile; the rest of him, however, continues to try to wake his silent lover.

"WAKE _UP,_ GODDAMMIT! KIYOTAKA!"

His fists clench into balls as he shouts, violet eyes welling up with tears which tremble hesitantly, as if afraid to fall. 

"Kiyotaka..." he whimpers, sitting back in the chair; he hadn't realized he'd stood up, not at all - he wants to punch something, but there's nothing around to punch, and he still cannot believe the sight before him. Ishimaru _can't_ be dead.

"Listen, I think you should leave, kid." The man speaks for the first time; Mondo glances up, frowning slightly. "Who are you, anyway? And how did you know my son?"

"'M Mondo..." he mutters gruffly, lump forming in his throat as he spots what appears to be an envelope resting on the table next to Ishimaru's motionless head. The biker reaches for it despite Takaaki's protests, and reads the words on the front shakily - _To Mondo._

Taking in a shuddering, deep breath, he tears open the paper, unfolding the letter with trembling hands as he gulps thickly.

_Dear Mondo,_

_I am sorry. I am so, so sorry. I hope that you may, with time, forgive me._

_I have known that I am not well for some time now. Especially, lately I have known that I have been getting worse; namely, that I may not have much time left before I pass. But... I was selfish._

_I'm so, so sorry Mondo._

_I have known that I have been getting worse. And I... I lied to you. I told you I had been discharged... That was untrue. I begged the nurses to let me leave for one night, and one night only - to be honest, I am surprised they even let me. And with good reason; I passed out._

_But still, I knew I was getting worse. And I lied to you._

_I am so, so sorry._

_That is why I was so clingy that night, Mondo. That is why I remained near you for so long, and indeed, why I ended up crying._

_I should have told you sooner, Mondo. I should have told you that my days were numbered, I should have remained in the hospital - perhaps then my remaining days would be more in number. But I was just too selfish. I wanted to spend my last few days with you, the man I love._

_I hope that you may, with time, forgive me. But please, never doubt for even a second that I love you with all my heart. Please._

_Mondo, I love you. Goodbye. Please do not forget me. You made my remaining time on earth a paradise, as cheesy as it sounds. Thank you._

_Kiyotaka_

Mondo screams, cradling his head in his hands as the letter falls to the bed, near Ishimaru's motionless left hand - which, Mondo can see, is still slightly stained with ink from writing it. 

He screams, finally letting the tears which have been held back for so long flow from beyond the floodgates. He screams, for Daiya, for _Ishimaru,_ the love he's lost. He screams, because this is not simply some cruel joke, this is harsh reality. He screams, tears streaming down his cheeks and onto the floor, for the injustice of Ishimaru's life being cut so short. He screams in agony at losing the man he loved. He screams in fear and loneliness, for where will he go next?

Mondo Oowada is completely and utterly alone.


	7. Alone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He coughs, and fiddles with his fingers at the podium, because he's never felt more alone.

Mondo tugs lightly at the starched collar of his hired suit, feeling very much out of place.

And then there's the hollowness he feels in his soul, an emptiness which gnaws at his very heart.

He doesn't even know why he's been asked to speak at Kiyotaka's funeral - by no volition of Takaaki's, he is certain - but, he thinks, the prefect would have wanted it.

He sniffs in deeply, trying to keep his emotions in check for at least the short amount of time he is standing at the podium. He doesn't care who sees him cry anymore, not really. Not now that he's lost it all.

He clears his throat.

"Uh... 'M sure all of ya think ya know what 'm gonna say up here. But ya don't, 'cause you can't know... There's too much to say, I dunno how 'm gonna fit it all in.

But 'm sure ya all know how 'm feelin' right now... All of ya gotta have lost someone, right? Husband... Wife... Girlfriend... Boyfriend..."

He gulps, voice catching on the last word.

"But... it still doesn't seem real, ya know? 'S like... he ain't dead at all..."

A pause.

"I loved Kiyotaka, with all my goddamn heart. An' I know 'm never gonna forget him, either. 'E was the best fuckin' thing that ever happened to me. I wish I coulda cherished 'im forever, spent all the time in the world with him...

AND I DON'T FUCKIN' CARE HOW CHEESY IT SOUNDS, I LOVED HIM GODDAMMIT!"

He lets out a choked sob, tears dripping from his violet eyes and worming their way down pale cheeks. He hasn't slept.

"I loved 'im... 'E was the best thing that ever happened in my life. 'M never gonna forget him, not ever... Kiyo, babe, wherever you are... Damn, I dunno where the fuck you are... But I love ya, with all my goddamn heart. Don't ever think I didn' love ya, ok? Ya were the fuckin' world to me... Still are..."

He doesn't think he can continue any further. Wiping the flood of tears from his face - and completely ignoring Takaaki's _murderous_ expression - he returns to his seat, where he begins to cry anew, an action extremely unlike him. Mondo Oowada doesn't cry.

Except when he's all alone in the world, the only man he's truly loved lying in a coffin six feet under the earth. 

He doesn't know how much longer he can bear this torment. He can't be here, can't watch the disapproving faces of Kiyotaka's family - not after he's ruined the eulogy. So he stands abruptly, causing all heads to be turned his way, and _flees_. He flees the funeral, running away from Kiyotaka's family, his own loneliness, and most of all, the very fact of his lover's death.

Sobbing into the sleeve of his hired suit, he makes it as far as a small copse of trees before he falls to his knees, dirt and grass stains besmirching the dark material. Mondo doesn't care; he's doing his best to not cry his eyes out, rubbing at them and trying frantically to staunch the free-flowing waterworks. 

"Kiyo... Kiyotaka..." the biker gulps, lavender eyes open wide with his pain as he kneels upon the earth, tears turning the dirt to mud in a few isolated patches.

This _hurts..._... hurts far more than even getting hit by that bus would have. As horrible as it is to say, this hurts even more than the weight of Daiya's death.

"I can't... Can't fuckin' do this anymore... 'M gonna break without ya..."

Realizing Kiyotaka was the only thing holding him together, he curls into a ball upon the soil, body quivering slightly as he sobs and sobs. 

Because really, he is nothing without  
Kiyotaka. He is completely and utterly alone in the world. An empty shell.

Will he never be happy?


End file.
